Horse-hitching device



(NoModeLy U. E. MILLER 85 P. BARRINGER.

HORSE HITGEING DEVICE.

No. 557,005. m5515555 M55l 24, 15795.

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ANDREW E GRAHAM PHOT0-Lm10.WASH|NGTON DC UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

URlAlil E. MILLER AND PAUL BARRINGER, OF HEILIG, NORTH CAROLINA.

HORS-HITCHING DEVlCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 557,005, dated March24, 1896. Application filed August 28, 1895. Serial No. 560,802. (Nomodel.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, UEIAH E. MILLER and PAUL BARRINGER, of Heilig, inthe county of Rowan and State of North Carolina, have invented a new andImproved Horse-Hitching Device, of which the following is a full, clear,and exact description.

Our invention relates to an improvement in horse-hitching devices; andthe object of the invention is to provide a simple, durable and economicdevice adapted as a substitute for the ordinary hitching strap or lineand weight or post, the construction of the device being such that thewheels of the vehicle may be conveniently and readily locked and thelocking mechanism be connected with the driving-lines of the harness,the arrangement of the hitching-straps, through the medium of which theclamping or locking devices are connected with the driving-lines, beingsuch that the animal will be eifectually prevented from moving thevehicle forward or backward, and whereby, furthermore, the saidarrangement of the hitching-straps in the event that the animal shouldmove sidewise will cause the slack in the strap in which the tension isdecreased to be quickly taken up.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of theseveral parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed outin the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the gures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a buggy, a portion of the body beingbroken away, and likewise a perspective view of the hitching deviceapplied to the same. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a box-body of avehicle, illustrating a slight modification in the disposition of theguide-posts of the device. Fig. 3 is a partial side elevation andpartial sectional view of the locking or clamping device of the hitchingmechanism, illustrating its application to the tire, felly, and spokesof a wheel, the wheel being in section. Fig. el is a longitudinalsection through a guide-post of the said hitching mechanism, and Fig. 5is a plan view of the clamp or lock of the same.

The hitching device or mechanism is illustrated in the drawings asapplied to a buggy,

and in carrying out the invention the guidepost A is employed,comprising an upright standard 11,provided with a foot 12, or itsequivalent, whereby when used in connection with a buggy, for example,the said foot may be clamped to the side bar thereof, as illustrated inFigs. 1 and 4.

At the top of the standard or body 11 of the guide-post a yoke 13 isformed, and in said yoke a frame 14 is pivoted, the said frame beingadapted to move in direction of either side of the said guide-post, andwithin the frame a pulley 15 is pivoted, preferably in a verticalmanner.

In connection with the guide-post A a clamp B is employed, and thisclamp comprises a semicircular upper jaw 16, having preferably integralwith one of its ends a horizontal shank 17. At the outer end of thisshank an eye 18, or its equivalent, is formed, while near the jaw 16 arecess 19 is made in the shank, and a pin 2O is preferably made to eX-tend from one end of the recess to the other,

as illustrated in Fig. 3. The recess 19 is provided for the reception oflock-straps (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3).and leading from the clampto the shaft to prevent backward motion. Twin jaws 21 are locatedbeneath the upper single jaw 16, the twin jaws being also semicircular,and the upper jaw is adapte ed to enter between the members of the lower-or twin jaws, as illustrated in Fig. 5. A shank 22 is secured to theinner end of the twin jaws 21, and the shank 22 is pivoted on the shank17 in such manner that the ends of the upper and lower jaws where theyconnect with their shank will be practically one above the other.

A spring 24 is located at the pivot-point of the lower or twin jaws,being adapted normally to force the shank of the said twin jaws upward,so as to open the two jaws and maintain them in open position as long asrequired. The inner end of the shank of the twin jaws is preferablybeveled, as shown at 25 in Fig. 3, and this end of the shank is adaptedto be enga-ged by the head of a latch 26, the said latch being pivotedupon the shank of the upper jaw, as is also best shown in Fig. 3, and isnormally held in position for locking engagement with the shank of thetwin jaws by means of a spring 27. lVhen IDO the shank of the twin jawsis locked by the latch 2G, the two jaws will be brought substantiallytogether, and the space between them will be substantially circular.

The driving lines 28 are provided with adjustable buckles 29, and eachadjustable buckle is fitted with a ring 30, and in connection with thedriving-lines hitching-straps 31 are employed, having snaps 32 at one oftheir ends to engage with the rings 30 of the driving-lines.

Then the vehicle is to be held stationary, the clamps are fitted on thewheels by opening the jaws and entering a spoke of a wheel between themembers of the twin jaws, the upper jaw being adapted to practicallysurround the rim of the wheel. The two jaws are then closed, as shown inFig. l, and the straps are passed around the pulleys l5 of the guidedevices and thence upward to an engagement with the inner ends of theclamps, preferably at the eyes 1S therein. Under this construction it isevident that the wheels will be locked against forward or rearwardmovement, and that the more the animal draws on the hitching-straps theiirmer the lock will be, and it is furthermore obvious that if theanimal should turn the wagon to the right or to the left any slack inthe hitchiug-straps will be automatically ta'ken up.

In Fig. 2 we have illustrated the guide-post as applied to the outsideof a vehicle-body, and in the same figure we have illustrated loops 33attached to the dashboard of the vehicle and extending downward at theinner face of the said board, being adapted to revccive the clamps Bwhen not in use.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patenty l. In ahorse-hitching device, a clamp adaptedto surround the rim of a wheel and receive a spoke thereof, the saidclamp comprising a single jaw and an opposing bifureated jaw, the twojaws being pivoted and provided with a spring normally holding them inopen position, shanks projected from the pivoted portions of the jaws,one shank being adapted to be received by the other, and a latch locatedon the receiving-shank, adapted for locking engagement with the enteringshank and likewise adapted for holding the jaws in a closed position, asand for the purpose specified.

2. ln a horse-hitching device, a clamp adapted to receive a portion ofthe rim and a spoke of a vehicle-wheel, the said clamp comprising asingle jaw an opposing bifurcated jaw, the two jaws being pivotallyconnected and provided with a spring normally holding them in openposition, a shank attached to the single jaw, provided with an eye atone end and with a recess divided by a crossbar, a shank connected withthe bifurcated jaw adapted for engagement with the shank of the singlejaw, and a spring-controlled latch adapted to lock the jaws in closedposition, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. ln a horse-bitching device, the combination, with the reins of aharness, rings adjustably secured to the said reins, and a guide device,of a clamp comprising spring-controlled pivoted jaws, one of the jawsbeing single and the other bifurcated, the said jaws being adapted toreceive between them a spoke of a wheel and a portion of a rim, a latchcapable of holding the jaws in a closed position, and hitching-strapsconnected with the said rings on the reins, being passed over the guidedevices and connected with the aforesaid clamps, as and for the purposeset forth.

et. In a horse-bitching device, the combination, with the driving-reins,of clamps adapted for locking engagement with the riln and a spoke ofthe wheels, a guide-standard adapted to be attached to a fixed supportand provided with a friction-roller, and bitchingstraps attached to thedriving-lines, passed over said guide-rollers and attached to the saidclamps, as and for the purpose set forth.

5. ln a horse-hitching device, the combination, with the driving-reins,of clamps adapted for locking engagement with the rim and a spoke of thewheels, a guide-standard adapted to be attached to a iixed support, thesaid guide-standard being provided with a yoke, a rocking frame in thesaid yoke and a friction-roller in the said frame, and bitchingstrapsdetachably connected with the rings on the driving-reins, the saidstraps being passed over the rollers of the guide-standards to anattachment to the clamps, as and for the purpose specified.

URIAII E. MILLER. PAUL BARRINGER. lVitnesses:

L. R. MILLER, J. ALBERT HEILIG.

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